Pedestrian Safety

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration's (MVA's) Highway Safety Office is interested in getting public input on awareness of highway safety messages and personal driving related behavior. Annually, the MVA conducts a survey of licensed drivers within the state. This survey seeks to gain information regarding drivers' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors as it relates to highway safety practices. The survey focuses on highway safety issues, including seat belts, pedestrian safety, impaired driving, speeding, motorcycles, and distracted driving. Feedback provided by the survey will help to shape highway safety programs within the state. If you are a licensed Maryland driver, we would be very grateful if you would take a few minutes to complete a short survey. Please be assured that this survey is anonymous. Click here to complete the survey.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

From all 50 states and the District of Columbia, tens of thousands of school children across the country biked to school throughout the month of May as part of the second annual National Bike to School Day. In all, 1,705 schools registered Bike to School Day events—80 percent more than the inaugural national event in 2012—setting a new National Bike to School Day record.

“In March, Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institute told the National Bike Summit that societal trends are favoring bicycling, that at this moment there is a tremendous bicycle wave rolling through America,” said Lauren Marchetti, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School, which coordinates National Bike to School Day. “If the success of our second annual Bike to School Day is any indication, I’d say Mr. Katz is on to something.”

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) hosted three public meetings in June on the extension of the Capital Bikeshare program into Montgomery County. Bikesharing allows travelers to rent a bike from on-street stations and drop it off at other stations within the bikeshare network.

The meetings focused on selected urban centers of Montgomery County where bikesharing stations will be installed in late summer 2013. Information on bikesharing throughout the County was also available at each meeting. The meetings were held at the following locations:

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Lorna Virgilí hosts "Montgomery al Día", Montgomery County's Spanish language live Radio Show on Radio América 1540 AM, Tuesdays at 2pm. On this show, she speaks with Jeff Dunckel, Pedestrian Safety Coordinator, from the Department of Transportation. The show addresses pedestrian safety issues around the County, including the recent uptick in pedestrian collisions and fatalities and how residents can stay safe when walking. To see the episode, click here.

Sunday, June 09, 2013

During the months of April, May, and June, the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has been focusing enforcement efforts on pedestrian safety. MCPD has been conducting a number of operations at locations with marked crosswalks and areas that have been identified as pedestrian High Incidence Areas (HIAs) -- those with more pedestrian collisions. Police are issuing citations to both drivers and pedestrians who are breaking the law. To date, Police have issued over 2,000 citations to pedestrians for crossing mid-block or against the pedestrian signal, and over 300 citations to drivers for not yielding to pedestrians.

In addition to these HIAs, MCPD have focused pedestrian enforcement actions on other crosswalk locations around the County where driver compliance with pedestrian safety laws has been an issue, including:

In Montgomery County, more than 400 pedestrians are struck by vehicles each year. Many of these collisions could be avoided if drivers and pedestrians obeyed the law and were more aware.

The Montgomery County Police Department takes a proactive approach to ensuring the safety of pedestrians. The department’s Traffic Unit routinely conducts pedestrian safety operations throughout the County to enforce traffic laws. The SafeSpeed and red light camera programs serve to improve the safety of pedestrians by slowing down traffic and reducing the number of vehicles running red lights.

Drivers and pedestrians have equal responsibilities in reducing pedestrian-involved collisions. Drivers should take extra caution when approaching crosswalks. Look for pedestrians near the crosswalk and prepare to yield when they enter the crosswalk. When driving in a residential area, or near a school zone, scan ahead for pedestrian traffic, especially for children, who may suddenly run out into the roadway. Extra caution should apply in the evening hours. Pedestrians should always use designated crosswalks when crossing a busy roadway. Assume that drivers can’t see you until you have made eye contact. Once in the crosswalk continue to scan for traffic in each lane of traffic. When in doubt, yield to vehicle traffic -- pedestrians are the ones who are injured in a collision.

To view the Transportation Update on the enforcement efforts, click here.